Early domestication Sheep were domesticated some 10,000 years ago in Central Asia, but it was not until 3,500 BC that people learned to spin wool. Sheep helped to make the spread of civilization possible. Sheep production was well-established during Biblical times. There are many references to sheep in the Bible, especially in the Old Testament. Sheep production is humankind's oldest organized industry. Wool was one of the first commodities of sufficient value to warrant international trade.Sheep in the New World In the 1400s, Queen Isabella of Spain used money derived from the wool industry to finance Columbus and other explorers' voyages. In 1493 on his second voyage to the New World, Columbus took sheep with him as a "walking food supply." He left some sheep in Cuba and Santo Domingo.In 1519, Cortez began his exploration of Mexico and the Western United States. He took with him sheep that were offspring of Columbus' sheep. These sheep are believed to be the descendants of what are now called "Churros." The Navajo Churro is the oldest breed of sheep in the US. Despite efforts by the US government to eradicate the breed, Navajo Churros are still raised by Navajo Indians.The Gulf Coast (or Florida) Native is another breed of sheep believed to be directly descended from sheep brought to the New World by Spanish and French explorers. Feral until the early 20th century, Gulf Coast Native sheep are known for their natural resistance to worm parasites.Sheep in America During the 16th and 17th centuries, England tried to discourage the wool industry in the American colonies. Nonetheless, colonists quickly smuggled sheep into the States and developed a wool industry. By 1664, there were 10,000 sheep in the colonies and the General Court of Massachusetts passed a law requiring youth to learn to spin and weave.By 1698, America was exporting wool goods. England became outraged and outlawed wool trade, making it punishable by cutting off a person's right hand. The restrictions on sheep raising and wool manufacturing, along with the Stamp Act, led to the American Revolutionary War. Thus, spinning and weaving were considered patriotic acts. Even after the war, England enacted a law forbidding the export of any sheep, but wethers.US sheep numbers peaked in 1945 at 56 million head. The industry has been declining ever since. Many reasons can be cited, including decreased demand for wool (replaced by synthetics) and reduced consumption of lamb (due to GI's negative experience with canned mutton during WWII). other factors include loss of government support, loss of grazing lands (in the West), and predation.Presidential shepherds George Washington raised sheep on his Mt. Vernon estate. He raised colonial-type sheep like the Leicester Longwool. Thomas Jefferson kept sheep at Monticello. He championed domestic wool production. Presidents Washington and Jefferson were both inaugurated in suits made of American wool. James Madison's inaugural jacket was woven from wool of sheep raised in his home in Virginia. Like our other forefather's Madision imported prized Spanish Merinos for his Montpelier estate. During World War I, President Woodrow Wilson grazed sheep on the White House lawn. The sheep replaced the gardeners and their wool was auctioned off to support the Red Cross War Fund. The flock grew to 48 sheep at its peak.In conflict Sheep raising has played a role in several historical conflicts such as the "Highland Clearances," American range wars, and the English "enclosing of the commons." The Highland Clearances consisted of the replacement of an almost feudal system of land tenure in Scotland with the rearing of sheep. Thousands of Scots were forced to leave their homes.In the US range wars, violent conflicts erupted between cattle ranchers and sheep herders as both competed for land to graze their livestock. Since many of the shepherds were immigrants, racism was intertwined. Britain's closing of the commons was similar to the Highland clearance; open fields were enclosed into individually-owned fields for sheep farming, displacing many subsistence farmers.During the American Civil War, the Northern sheep and wool Industry experienced a massive boom and "Merino Mania," as wool displaced cotton and there was a growing demand for wool blankets and uniforms. Wool prices skyrocketed. Of course, they fell just as quickly when the war ended and there was a glut of wool. Nearly all the Southern stock of Tunis sheep were destroyed during the war. Another breed significantly impacted by the war was the Hampshire. The breed is believed to have vanished during the war.The Wool Brigades of WWIThe "Wool Brigades" were a massive civilian volunteer effort organized by the American Red Cross (and similar groups) during the first world war. Millions of Americans knitted millions of warm wool garments for the soldiers fighting in cold European trenches. In total, 45 million pounds of wool were used to make 22 million garments. Volunteers -- men, women, and children -- donated 2 million hours of labor during the 18 months the US was at war.America lost its taste for lamb Before the second world war, the consumption of lamb and mutton in the United States averaged over 7 lbs. Today it is only around 1 lb. It is said that during the war, American GIs were fed awful tasting canned mutton. The meat was greasy, gamey, and unappetizing, especially when it was cold. When veterans returned home they vowed never to allow sheep meat in their houses again. Several other things contributed to the industry decline and reduction in lamb consumption.

Sheep shearing is an international sportShearing shearing is a sport, with competitions held around the world, especially Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. In fact, some people think that sheep shearing should be an Olympic sport. Sheep shearing competitions vary by duration (usually 8 or 9 hours) and type of sheep shorn. Ewes take longer to shear than lambs, and Merinos take longer to shear than other wool types. Speed and endurance are both important. There are also penalties for missing wool or cutting the sheep.Like other sports, records are continuously being set. The most lambs sheared in a 9 hour period is 872 (37.2 seconds per lamb). This record was set in 2021. The most ewes is 732 (44.3 second per ewe). This record is more recent (2026). For Merinos, the current records are 664 and 540 for lambs and ewes, respectively(48.8 seconds per lamb and 60 second per ewe). Female shearers aren't usually as fast as men, but their records are also impressive.Six secondsMutton-busting is a rodeo event for small children, 4 to 7 years old and weighing under 50 to 60 pounds, who ride a sheep bareback from the chute to the other end of the arena. While the sheep don't buck much, the ride dislodges most youngsters. The goal is to ride the sheep for six seconds. Youngsters hang onto the sheep's wool. They wear helmets for protection.Sheep racingDespite interference by animal rights activists, sheep racing still takes place at various venues in England. Some of the races feature hurdles and other obstacles. Legendary sheep showIn the Agrodome Sheep Show, 19 champion rams of different breeds wait on a platform before making their entrances. After all 19 rams are in place, a shearing demonstration is given with another sheep. At the end of the show, Border Collies demonstrate their agility by running over the backs of the rams.The New Zealand Agrodome is a 160-hectare working sheep and cattle farm with 1,200 sheep and 120 beef cattle. In 1999, the Agrodome opened a woolen mill that shows all aspects of New Zealand wool processing. The Agrodome gives international visitors to New Zealand a real, hands-on, live experience of farming and a total interaction with sheep, goats, cattle, deer, and baby lambs.The Sheep Show is a similar entertainment venue in the United Kingdom. The show features 9 breeds of importance to England's sheep industry. Fighting City HallFor six months during the 2001 foot-and-mouth crisis in Great Britain, 62 year old Moira Linaker defied government orders to cull her flock of rare sheep. Moira won her battle to save her sheep and told her story in the book, Behind Chained Gates. She passed away in 2019.Fighting sheepIn some countries, sheep are used for fighting. The sheep are trained to fight at a young age. They are chosen for their size and groomed as athletes. They start fighting when they are about 3 years old. Their "careers" last for about four years. Sheep fighting is usually part of a celebratory festival such as Eid al Adha (the Festival of Sacrifice). In some countries, tournaments are organized, and the victorious rams are exhibited on the main roads of towns. While ram fighting may be construed by some as a "blood sport," it does not usually result in the death of the ram and should not be equated to cock or dog fighting.Tiny wool sweaters Wool is a very useful product when oil spills occur. Pads made from wool can be used to soak up the oil. In 1999 when an oil spill occurred near Phillip Island, Australia, the Phillip Island penguins were fitted with wool sweaters. The sweaters helped maintain the tiny penguin's body heat and prevented them from being poisoned by the oil.

Dolly Dolly became the most famous sheep in history when her birth was announced by the Roslin Institute in Scotland in 1997. Dolly was the world's first mammal to be cloned. She was born July 5, 1996, from three different "mothers." Her genetic mother (dam) provided the DNA. A second ewe provided the egg into which the DNA was injected and a third ewe carried the cloned embryo. It took 276 attempts before the experiment was successful. The birth of Dolly was hailed as a huge scientific breakthrough. Dolly became a superstar and seemed to enjoy the human attention.Learn how Dolly was cloned=>Dolly gave birth to six lambs. She was euthanized when she was six and a half years old after she developed a lung infection. Dolly's health problems may have been the result of the fact that she was cloned from a six year old ewe. Or maybe not. Dolly also suffered from a form of arthritis. After her death, Dolly was stuffed and put on display in the Royal Museum of Scotland.The Dollies After Dolly was created from a cell from a mammary gland, the rest of the sample was frozen. Several years later, four clones were created from the same mammary tissue. The quads were nicknamed the "Dollies" and were exact genetic copies of Dolly. The existence of the Dollies was not made public until late 2010.The Toast of Botswana An unusual case of a sheep-goat hybrid was reported by veterinarians in Botswana in 2000. The animal was naturally born from the mating of a female goat with a male sheep that were kept together. Such pregnancies were not thought possible.The hybrid had 57 chromosomes, intermediate between sheep (54) and goats (60) proving it was not a case of mistaken identity. Its features were halfway between sheep and goats. The hybrid had a very active libido, mounting both ewes and does when they were not in heat. This earned him the name "Bemya" or the "rapist." He was castrated when he was 10 months old because he was becoming such a nuisance.World's Wooliest Sheep Over the years, many sheep have evaded shearing. "Shrek" evaded shearers for six years. The 10-year old sheep managed to roam freely on New Zealand's South Island for more than six years before being rounded up. Shrek's 60-pound fleece, enough to make 20 large men's suits, was auctioned off over the internet for the benefit of children's medical charities. Shrek was euthanized June 6, 2011, at the age of 17.Shrek 2 bested Shrek 1 by avoiding shearing for 7 years. His fleece was removed in April 2005. It weighed 68.2 pounds and measured three meters in length. Shrek 2 was approximately 11 years old. In 2014, Shaun the Sheep fell short of the record. After six years on the run, Shaun yielded at 59.4 lb. fleece. The world record was broken yet again in 2015 by Chris, a feral sheep that yielded an 88 lb. fleece. World's loneliest sheepIn 2021, a kayaker spotted a sheep at the foot of a cliff. She had been trapped on the rocky coast for two years. Her plight became international news. A heroic rescue was undertaken. At the time of her rescue she was overweight and had an overgrown fleece. Fiona was taken to permanent home. She became a mother for the first time on February 10, 2026. She birthed twins.World's oldest sheep Lucky was the world's oldest sheep. She died in November 2009 at the age of 23, twice the life expectancy of a sheep. Lucky succumbed to the effects of a heat wave in Australia and died peacefully after a short illness.The previous record for longevity was held by George, a Merino wether, also from Australia. George died in his sleep in 2006 at the age of 21. Lucky and George were both kept as pets. They were recognized by the Guinness World Records for being the oldest living sheep.A crossbred sheep in Wales is said to have lived 28 years and 51 weeks. She died in 1989, after having lambed 40 times. She had given birth to a healthy lamb in 1988.West Bank Miracle Lamb In March 2004, a lamb was born on the West Bank. What looked like "Allah" (the Arabic word for God) was spelled out in Arabic on its back. According to witnesses, the name of the Prophet Mohammed was spelled out on the other side, though it was harder to see. Many Palestinians traveled through several Israeli checkpoints to see the "miracle" lamb.Movie Stars Border Leicester sheep were featured in the 1995 hit movie Babe, which tells the story of a sheep-herding pig. The movie required 970 animals, including 550 sheep. All scenes of sheep herding were real herds and the trained dogs who herded them. When the sheep appear to be attentively listening and keeping very still, both real and animatronic sheep were used.The ratio was one animatronic sheep for every three real sheep. The real sheep were trained to calmly remain on their marks. When the sheep walk in unison, real sheep were used and harnessed with a very thin material that was not visible on camera. These sheep had been trained in pre-production to respond so that when one was called, they all followed.When their beloved shepherd is murdered, a flock of sheep sets out to solve the murder. Sheep Detectives is a 2026 movie. No real sheep were used in the movie. All the sheep were CGI (computer-generated imagery).Counting sheep Serta's Counting sheep celebrated their 25th birthday in 2025. Over the years, they have starred in more than 20 television campaigns and received prestigious awards. They were created when one of the ad executives for Serta was having trouble sleeping, so he counted sheep. There is a collective line of Serta plush toys.

Sheep are mentioned in the Bible more than 500 times, more than any other animal. The prominence of sheep in the Bible grows out of two realities. Sheep were important to the nomads and agricultural life of the Hebrews and similar peoples. Secondly, sheep are used throughout the Bible to symbolically refer to God's people.Biblical shepherdsNow Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. But Abel also brought an offering -- fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. (Genesis 4:3-4)The very first shepherd was Abel. He was also humanity's first murder victim, slain by his brother Cain. Abraham and Moses were shepherds. King David was the best known shepherd in Bible history. He wrote the beloved Psalm 23. Shepherds were the first people to see the newborn Jesus Christ. The Prophet Mohammed worked as a shepherd when he was 8 years old.A close relationshipMy sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. (John 10:27)The Bible describes close relationships between shepherds and their flocks. Sheep recognize the voice of the shepherd. They follow him (or her). The shepherd protects his flock and would give his life for them.It is known that animals can instantly recognize the voice of a familiar trusted person. Sheep have excellent memories for faces. They remember their handler. They also remember people who inflict abuse upon them.Break a leg?There is a belief that shepherds in Biblical times would break the legs of lambs that constantly wandered away. According to the "story," the shepherd would then set the broken leg and carry the lamb on his shoulders until the leg healed, after which time the lamb would remain by the shepherd's side for the rest of its life. While there is no way to know for certain what Biblical shepherds did, there is no such story in the Bible, and to do so would be cruel and impractical.The Lamb of GodChristians traditionally refer to Jesus as the "Lamb of God." Many Christians serve lamb as part of their Easter dinner. In many homes, a lamb-shaped cake decorates the table. Many Eastern Orthodox Christians hang pictures of the Easter lamb in their homes.Sacrificial lambAbraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. (Genesis 22:1-18)Abraham's sacrificeIt is well-known to Muslims, Jews, and Christians that Abraham was asked to sacrifice his son. He was willing to do so, but God gave him a sheep (ram) to sacrifice instead of his son. Christians and Jews believe that it was the life of Isaac that was spared, while Muslims believe that it was Ismael that was nearly sacrificed on the alter. Jews and Arabs trace their heritage to Isaac and Ismael, respectively.Festival of SacrificeIn commemoration of Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God, a religious festival is celebrated by Muslims worldwide. The festival is called Eid al-Adha. Its English translation is "Festival of Sacrifice." Eid is the Arabic word for Festival. As a symbol of Abraham's sacrifice, Muslims (who are able) sacrifice a sheep (or other domestic animal). The sheep have to meet certain age requirements (at least six months old) and quality standards (unblemished). The meat is shared with family and friends and distributed to the poor.Aqeeqah (Aqiqah)The Muslim "equivalent" to Christian Baptism is Aqeeqah, which occurs 7 days after the birth of a child. Aqeeqah includes shaving the baby's head and naming the baby. As a symbol of thanksgiving for the gift of a child from God, a sacrifice is performed. Two sheep which resemble each other, are to be sacrificed for a boy and one for a girl. The meat is shared with family, friends, and the poor.Spotted sheepSo that very day, Laban went out and formed a flock for Jacob. He took from his herds all the male goats that were ringed and spotted. He also included the females that were speckled and spotted with any white patches, and all of the black sheep. (Genesis 30:35)Jacob sheep were named for the Biblical story of Jacob who selected spotted sheep for his flock. It tells how Jacob took every speckled and spotted sheep as his own from Laban's flock. Some claim that Jacobs of today descend directly from the sheep raised by Jacob, that traveled from Palestine to Egypt and to Spain via the coast of North Africa and Morocco.Separating the sheep from the goats He shall set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. (Matthew 25:33)With regards to "judgement day," sheep and goats are used as metaphors in the Bible. Sheep are the followers of Christ, while goats chose not to follow Christ. The parable is based on the differences in behavior between sheep and goats. Sheep are gentle, quiet, innocent animals. They do not give their shepherds a lot of problems. They are easily led. Sheep are grazers, unlike the goat, which likes to browse. Goats are rebellious. In the Bible, goats are sometimes used to symbolize evil.